Beryllium is a structural material in space technology, inertial guidance systems, additive to rocket fuels, moderator and reflector of neutrons in nuclear reactors. Beryllium can be found in many things, there are also different compounds of beryllium. They include beryllium alloys, beryllium oxide, beryllium chloride, beryllium fluoride, and beryllium nitrate. This chemical is used all over the world, but mainly used in Australia.
Beryllium can be very harmful, if people do not take the proper precautions. If beryllium is inhaled, it will cause more damage than if it were ingested. There are both short term and long term effects, they are:
Short-term: inflammation of the lungs when inhaled; less toxic in drinking water
Long-term: damage to the bones and lungs; cancer.
It can also cause Chronic Beryllium Disease. Beryllium is found in the water and air. If beryllium were to be banned, countries would have to purify their drinking water.
My opinion on beryllium is that it is not very harmful, but it can be if you are exposed to it for a long time. I think that it should not be banned because many of the space technology and the nuclear, electronic, and ceramic industries, will not be able to make some of their products. The public does not use products that contain beryllium; therefore the public should not worry.
Background
Beryllium is used in many things. It is a structural material in space technology, inertial guidance systems, additive to rocket fuels, moderator and reflector of neutrons in nuclear reactors. Beryllium can be found in many things, there are also different forms of beryllium. Here is a list of what they are information taken from: www.npi.gov.au
Beryllium alloys are used in electrical connectors and relays, springs, precision instruments, aircraft engine parts, non-sparking tools, submarine cable housings and pivots, wheels, and pinions.
Beryllium oxide is used in the manufacture of specialty electrical and high-technology ceramics, special glass, electronic heat sinks, electron tubes, electrical insulators, electronics components, microwave oven components, nuclear fuels and nuclear moderators, gyroscopes, military vehicle armor, rocket nozzles, and laser structural components.
Beryllium chloride is used in refining beryllium ores and as a chemical reagent. Beryllium fluoride is used in refining beryllium and manufacturing beryllium alloys, and as a chemical reagent.
Beryllium nitrate is used as a chemical reagent, a gas mantle hardener and in refining beryllium ores. Beryllium is mainly used in Australia. They are used in very small quantities.
Production
Beryllium is an element. It is used in the nuclear, electronic, and ceramic industries. Once it is taken to the industries, it is used in making several things like missile parts and reactors. The beryllium will then, go out into the environment. Beryllium will end up in streams, then they can end up in our drinking water.
Health
Beryllium can cause many things like pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs) There are both short term and long term and they are:
Short-term: inflammation of the lungs when inhaled; less toxic in drinking water
Long-term: damage to the bones and lungs; cancer
Beryllium can be inhaled and it can also be ingested. It is much more toxic when it is inhaled than when you take by water. It mainly affects both the respiratory and the skeletal system.
Environmental
It does not react with water and steam. Exposure to beryllium occurs mostly in the workplace, near some hazardous waste sites, and from breathing tobacco smoke. Two types of minerals, bertrandite and beryl, are mined for commercial recovery of beryllium. In the workplace, beryllium dust enters the body disease, or berylliosis, is a granulomatous interstitial lung disease that results from chronic beryllium inhalation and immunologic response. (Information taken from Third Report and EPA.)
Political/Economic
If beryllium were banned many of the structures used in space technology. Since beryllium is used in nuclear, electronic, and ceramic, it could affect this very much. But there is a good thing, if beryllium were banned it would make the country purify its water and its air because beryllium can be found in water and it can cause Chronic Beryllium Disease. Right now the the water that we drink is being regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act. Your local water supplier test the water about every three months.
Summary
Countries that use beryllium should purify their water or encourage the people to buy water purifiers. The best thing to do is to contact your local water supplier. Since beryllium is not that harmful, but can be, it should be required that people that work in the nuclear, electronic, and ceramic industries wear protective masks if you work closely with beryllium.
PSA
Bibliography
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Ground Water & Drinking Water > Consumer Factsheet on: BERYLLIUM." EPA. 20 Feb. 2008. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwh/c-ioc/berylliu.html Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. "NPI: Beryllium & compounds fact sheet." Beryllium & compounds fact sheet. 19 Feb. 2008. http://www.npi.gov.au/database/substance-info/profiles/13.html
Department of Health and Human Services. Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. 2005. 28 March 2008
Table of Contents
Abstract
Beryllium is a structural material in space technology, inertial guidance systems, additive to rocket fuels, moderator and reflector of neutrons in nuclear reactors. Beryllium can be found in many things, there are also different compounds of beryllium. They include beryllium alloys, beryllium oxide, beryllium chloride, beryllium fluoride, and beryllium nitrate. This chemical is used all over the world, but mainly used in Australia.Beryllium can be very harmful, if people do not take the proper precautions. If beryllium is inhaled, it will cause more damage than if it were ingested. There are both short term and long term effects, they are:
Short-term: inflammation of the lungs when inhaled; less toxic in drinking water
Long-term: damage to the bones and lungs; cancer.
It can also cause Chronic Beryllium Disease. Beryllium is found in the water and air. If beryllium were to be banned, countries would have to purify their drinking water.
My opinion on beryllium is that it is not very harmful, but it can be if you are exposed to it for a long time. I think that it should not be banned because many of the space technology and the nuclear, electronic, and ceramic industries, will not be able to make some of their products. The public does not use products that contain beryllium; therefore the public should not worry.
Background
Beryllium is used in many things. It is a structural material in space technology, inertial guidance systems, additive to rocket fuels, moderator and reflector of neutrons in nuclear reactors. Beryllium can be found in many things, there are also different forms of beryllium. Here is a list of what they are information taken from: www.npi.gov.auBeryllium alloys are used in electrical connectors and relays, springs, precision instruments, aircraft engine parts, non-sparking tools, submarine cable housings and pivots, wheels, and pinions.
Beryllium oxide is used in the manufacture of specialty electrical and high-technology ceramics, special glass, electronic heat sinks, electron tubes, electrical insulators, electronics components, microwave oven components, nuclear fuels and nuclear moderators, gyroscopes, military vehicle armor, rocket nozzles, and laser structural components.
Beryllium chloride is used in refining beryllium ores and as a chemical reagent. Beryllium fluoride is used in refining beryllium and manufacturing beryllium alloys, and as a chemical reagent.
Beryllium nitrate is used as a chemical reagent, a gas mantle hardener and in refining beryllium ores. Beryllium is mainly used in Australia. They are used in very small quantities.
Production
Beryllium is an element. It is used in the nuclear, electronic, and ceramic industries. Once it is taken to the industries, it is used in making several things like missile parts and reactors. The beryllium will then, go out into the environment. Beryllium will end up in streams, then they can end up in our drinking water.Health
Beryllium can cause many things like pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs) There are both short term and long term and they are:Short-term: inflammation of the lungs when inhaled; less toxic in drinking water
Long-term: damage to the bones and lungs; cancer
Beryllium can be inhaled and it can also be ingested. It is much more toxic when it is inhaled than when you take by water. It mainly affects both the respiratory and the skeletal system.
Environmental
It does not react with water and steam. Exposure to beryllium occurs mostly in the workplace, near some hazardous waste sites, and from breathing tobacco smoke. Two types of minerals, bertrandite and beryl, are mined for commercial recovery of beryllium. In the workplace, beryllium dust enters the body disease, or berylliosis, is a granulomatous interstitial lung disease that results from chronic beryllium inhalation and immunologic response. (Information taken from Third Report and EPA.)Political/Economic
If beryllium were banned many of the structures used in space technology. Since beryllium is used in nuclear, electronic, and ceramic, it could affect this very much. But there is a good thing, if beryllium were banned it would make the country purify its water and its air because beryllium can be found in water and it can cause Chronic Beryllium Disease. Right now the the water that we drink is being regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act. Your local water supplier test the water about every three months.Summary
Countries that use beryllium should purify their water or encourage the people to buy water purifiers. The best thing to do is to contact your local water supplier. Since beryllium is not that harmful, but can be, it should be required that people that work in the nuclear, electronic, and ceramic industries wear protective masks if you work closely with beryllium.PSA
Bibliography
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "Ground Water & Drinking Water > Consumer Factsheet on: BERYLLIUM." EPA. 20 Feb. 2008. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwh/c-ioc/berylliu.htmlDepartment of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. "NPI: Beryllium & compounds fact sheet." Beryllium & compounds fact sheet. 19 Feb. 2008. http://www.npi.gov.au/database/substance-info/profiles/13.html
Department of Health and Human Services. Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. 2005. 28 March 2008
Pictures sources:
BerylliumWater
Missile Part